title: Depression and family interaction among low-income, predominantly hispanic cancer patients: a longitudinal analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Among cancer patients, family interaction has been associated with depression. According to the stress generation theory, depression among cancer patients triggers stressful interpersonal events that contribute to poor family interactions and additional depression. This conflict may occur with a spouse/partner or other family member, including extended family. This study evaluated the longitudinal association between depression and marital and family conflict among low-income, predominantly Hispanic cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected during a randomized controlled clinical trial of depression treatment among 472 low-income cancer patients with baseline depression scores of 10 or more on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and whose depression symptoms and negative family interactions were assessed at baseline and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Considering that not all participants were in an intimate relationship, only 237 participants were included in the analysis of marital conflict. Mixed linear modeling with and without decomposition of between- and within-person variability was conducted to examine the longitudinal association between family interaction and depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, family conflict was significantly associated with changes in depression over time, and marital conflict was significantly associated with mean depression levels over 2 years. In addition, within-subject change in both marital and family conflict was significantly associated with within-patient deviation from average depression levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings provide evidence of an association between depression and negative family interaction among depressed cancer patients. Cancer patients with clinically significant depressive symptoms may benefit from clinical assessment and psychotherapy relevant to family interaction.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 669 West 34th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0411, USA, hyunsuno@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Hyunsung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ell
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Subica
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012307:Risk Factors